Objective To assess the echogenicity of the ultrasound-guided catheter and its associated delivery system. Methods The study consisted of in vitro characterization experiments and animal studies. In the in vitro phase, the acoustic and mechanical properties of the ultrasound-guided catheter were compared with those of the traditional MPA2 catheter, including parameters such as echo intensity, recognizability, and angle dependence. In the animal experiments, a ventricular septal defect (VSD) model was established in miniature pigs to compare the procedural performance of the ultrasound-guided delivery system versus the conventional system. Evaluation indicators included the time required for the system to cross the VSD, the detection rate of the system within the right ventricle, and the occurrence of intraoperative complications. Results The ultrasound-guided catheter demonstrated a significantly higher mean echo intensity than the MPA2 catheter [(237.3±1.8) dB vs. (190.9±13.1) dB, P<0.001] and a markedly improved recognizability rate (82.3%±5.6% vs. 26.7%±3.2%, P<0.001), along with better angle independence and image quality. In animal experiments, the ultrasound-guided delivery system significantly reduced the time required to cross the VSD [(18.5±5.7) min vs. (30.3±4.5) min, P<0.001] and substantially increased the detection rate within the right ventricle (100.0% vs. 30.0%). No severe complications occurred in any experimental animal. Conclusion The ultrasound-guided catheter and its corresponding delivery system exhibite superior ultrasound visibility and operational performance in both in vitro and animal experiments, indicating strong potential for clinical application.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） is one of the most prevalent forms of liver diseases globally. Its progression can lead to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease， and there is currently a lack of effective pharmacological treatments. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， as a regulatory hub for maintaining cellular energy homeostasis， can coordinate key cellular processes such as adipogenesis， glucose metabolism， and mitochondrial functions. Its activation exerts metabolic regulatory effects through pathways including inhibiting lipogenesis， enhancing mitochondrial β-oxidation， regulating inflammation and oxidative stress， and promoting autophagy. Accordingly， AMPK emerges as a potential target for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）， with low toxicity， high accessibility， and multi-component， multi-target synergistic effects， has demonstrated unique value in NAFLD treatment， particularly showing notable advantages in regulating the AMPK signaling pathway. Sichuan is known as the treasure house of TCM， and the active components of its authentic medicinal materials such as Coptidis Rhizoma not only reflect regional characteristics in AMPK signaling regulation but also form a multi-level metabolic regulatory network through crosstalk with pathways such as sirtuin 1 （SIRT1） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α （PPARα）. They can achieve specific regulation by directly activating AMPK and modulating upstream and downstream targets， exerting prominent effects in ameliorating hepatic steatosis and inflammation. This study systematically reviews the research findings on TCM for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD over the past five years， elaborating the mechanisms by which TCM treats NAFLD through regulating the AMPK signaling pathway. It aims to provide new perspectives and references for clinical diagnosis and treatment， basic research， and drug development.

Background/Aims: Acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) is one of the most essential metabolites in cell metabolism but its function and concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive and controversial. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of acetyl-CoA levels and acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) expression across a range of samples, including patient specimens from both hepatitis B virus (HBV) positive and HBV negative HCC individuals, HBV-transgenic mouse HCC models, and multiple cell lines. Furthermore, to evaluate the functional significance of ACSS2 in HBV-related HCC, we implemented both genetic and pharmacological inhibition strategies targeting ACSS2. Molecular mechanism and mitophagy assessment were revealed by cleavage under target and tagmentation sequencing, RNA sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, transmission electron microscopy and JC-1 staining. Results: Our study revealed a distinct metabolic signature of HBV-related HCC, marked by elevated acetyl-CoA, which was driven by ACSS2. ACSS2 was upregulated by the carbohydrate response element-binding protein in HBV-related HCC. Furthermore, ACSS2 improved tumor cell proliferation, an effect that was dependent on its enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ACSS2-induced acetyl-CoA accumulation activated voltage-dependent anion channels 1 transcription through increased H3K27ac occupancy, which subsequently promoted mitophagy and HBV-related HCC tumorigenesis. Notably, targeting ACSS2 by depletion or inhibition with a catalytic inhibitor significantly suppressed tumor growth. Conclusions These findings not only illustrate the interplay between metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic modification, and tumorigenesis in the context of HBV infection, but also highlight ACSS2 as a novel metabolic vulnerability in HBV-related HCC. Therefore, targeting ACSS2 could be a novel strategy against HBV-related HCC.

Under the background of the medical model shifting from biomedicine to systems medicine， the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） concept of "treating different diseases in the same way" demonstrates unique scientific value. From the perspective of systems biology， this study proposes that "treating different diseases in the same way" is essentially "treating the disease with same mechanism in the same way"； that is， different diseases share common pathological links at levels such as neuro-endocrine-immune network homeostasis， inflammatory signaling pathways， or gut microecology. Through the application of the "same formulas" and "same medicinals"， TCM intervenes in these shared network nodes. On this basis， the modern medical value of the "treating different diseases in the same way" concept is elucidated from three dimensions including "network causality" in epistemology， "systemic modulation" in methodology， and "comorbidity management" in practice. It reveals that as a life network regulation concept based on holism， "treating different diseases in the same way" provides novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for complex chronic diseases and multimorbidity.

Objective To explore the relationship between PANoptosis and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI), and to screen the key genes of PANoptosis in HIRI. Methods PANoptosis-related differentially expressed genes (PDG) were obtained through the Gene Expression Omnibus database and GeneCards database. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to explore the biological pathways related to PDG. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed. Key genes were selected, and their diagnostic value was assessed and validated in the HIRI mice. Immune cell infiltration analysis was performed based on the cell-type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts. Results A total of 16 PDG were identified. GO analysis showed that PDG were closely related to cellular metabolism. KEGG analysis indicated that PDG were mainly enriched in cellular death pathways such as apoptosis and immune-related signaling pathways such as the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway. GSEA results showed that key genes were mainly enriched in immune-related signaling pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Two key genes, DFFB and TNFSF10, were identified with high accuracy in diagnosing HIRI, with areas under the curve of 0.964 and 1.000, respectively. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the control group had more infiltration of resting natural killer cells, M2 macrophages, etc., while the HIRI group had more infiltration of M0 macrophages, neutrophils, and naive B cells. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that compared with the Sham group, the relative expression of DFFB messenger RNA in liver tissue of HIRI group mice increased, and the relative expression of TNFSF10 messenger RNA decreased. Cibersort analysis showed that the infiltration abundance of naive B cells was positively correlated with DFFB expression (r=0.70, P=0.035), and the infiltration abundance of M2 macrophages was positively correlated with TNFSF10 expression (r=0.68, P=0.045). Conclusions PANoptosis-related genes DFFB and TNFSF10 may be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HIRI.

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of cancer related anemia(CRA)in older cancer patients undergoing multi-line anti-tumor treatment.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted,including patients with CRA who were≥65 years old and had received or were currently undergoing multi-line treatment at 9 hospitals in Beijing from June 1,2018 to September 30,2023.Data on gender,age,past history,family history,tumor type,metastasis site,clinical symptoms,blood routine,specialized examination for anemia,anti-tumor and anemia correction treatment were collected.The basic characteristics of the included patients,clinical symptoms,the status of blood cell reduction,treatment conditions,and the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics were analyzed.Results A total of 602 patients were included.The tumor types included lung cancer,colorectal cancer,gastric cancer,esophageal cancer,breast cancer,gynecological tumors,lymphoma.The overall median hemoglobin(HGB)level was 99.00(88.00,107.00)g/L.The HGB levels of patients with different tumor types showed significant differences(P<0.001).The HGB levels of patients with gynecological tumors were significantly lower than those of patients with colorectal cancer,lung cancer and esophageal cancer(P<0.05).The most common clinical symptoms were fatigue,loss of appetite,irregular bowel movements and pain.In terms of anti-tumor treatment,405 patients were receiving multi-line anti-tumor treatment(including combined chemotherapy,combined radiotherapy,combined targeted therapy,and combined immunotherapy),197 patients were receiving symptomatic supportive treatment after multi-line anti-tumor treatment.In terms of anemia correction treatment,183 patients received erythropoietin,folic acid,iron,vitamin B12,or blood transfusion,while 293 patients received TCM for correcting anemia(including Chinese patent medicines,Chinese herbal decoctions,combinations of Chinese patent medicines and Chinese herbal decoctions).Specialized tests for anemia,such as serum iron,total iron binding capacity,transferrin saturation,transferrin,erythropoietin et al,have a detection rate of only 3.65%～27.91%.In terms of the characteristics of TCM syndromes,the main TCM syndrome types of the patients were as follows:syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness,syndrome of qi and blood deficiency,syndrome of heart-spleen deficiency,syndrome of spleen-kidney yang deficiency,syndrome of liver and kidney yin deficiency.Some patients also have the accompanying symptoms of internal binding of static blood and poison,phlegm dampness retention.Further comparison revealed that the HGB level of older patients with CRA who had syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness was significantly lower than patients with other symptom types(P<0.001).The HGB level of patients with syndrome of qi and blood deficiency was significantly lower than patients with syndrome of spleen-kidney yang deficiency(P<0.01)and syndrome of liver and kidney yin deficiency(P<0.001).Patients with symptoms of internal binding of static blood and poison,or symptoms of phlegm dampness retention had significantly lower HGB levels compared to those without accompanying symptoms(P<0.01).Conclusion The rate of specialized blood test for anemia in older patients with CRA was relatively low.The most common TCM syndrome types were syndrome of spleen-stomach weakness and syndrome of qi and blood deficiency.The overall treatment rate was also low.The screening,specialized diagnosis and monitoring of older patients with CRA need to be given more attention,and treatment methods such as TCM,Western medicine,and integrated TCM-Western medicine should be selected based on the patient's condition.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of vertebral cement augmentation (VCA) at upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) and UIV+1 in preventing proximal junction complications in correction surgery for adult spinal deformity patients. Methods: A literature search was conducted on Web of Science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases for comparative studies published before December 30th, 2024. Two reviewers independently screened eligible articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, assessed study quality with Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and extracted data like study characteristics, surgical details, primary and secondary outcomes. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata software. Results: Of all 513 papers screened, a meta-analysis was conducted on 7 articles, which included 333 cases in the VCA group and 827 cases in the control group. Patients in the VCA group had significantly older age and lower T score than patients in the control group. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of proximal junctional failure between the 2 groups, the results of the meta-analysis showed that the incidence of proximal junctional failure and the need for revision surgery were reduced by 36% and 71%, respectively, in the VCA group. One study reported 2 clinically silent pulmonary cement embolism and 1 patient requiring surgical decompression for cement leak into the spinal canal. Conclusion This meta-analysis supported the use of VCA in corrective surgery for spinal deformities patients, especially in patients with advanced age and osteoporosis.

Oxygen generation technologies with lower requirement and higher performance urgently need to be developed to meet the challenges of manned lunar landing and Mars exploration.In this paper,the mission requirements,technical characteristics,key technologies and operation status of oxygen generation assembly by water electrolysis(OGAWE)in China Space Station(CSS)are introduced.Furthermore,the latest developments about oxygen generation by electrolyzing carbon dioxide based on solid oxide electroyte is reported.The application effects and research achievements demonstrate the oxygen generation by electrolysis is one of the most suitable techniques for oxygen regeneration in manned space mission.In addition,the oxygen generation by novel electrolysis technology provides feasible approach for improving the performance of oxygen regeneration and producing oxygen by in-situ utilization of extraterrestrial resource.These development experiments of OGAWE in CSS and research results of novel electrolysis provide valuable references for the technical progress of oxygen generation by electrolysis for manned spaceflight.

Objective To investigate the management strategies for disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC)secondary to advanced malignancies.Methods Clinical data of an elderly male with advanced colon cancer,multi-ple bladder/pelvic wall metastases,and secondary DIC was collected and analysed.Diagnostic and therapeutic processes were systematically evaluated.Results The patient successfully underwent surgery to relieve urinary tract obstruction after transfusion support.Despite subsequent correction of coagulopathy with supportive care and antico-agulation,the prognosis remained poor due to tumor progression and DIC decompensation.Conclusions The man-agement of malignancy-complicated DIC requires dynamic assessment of coagulation status.Temperate anticoagula-tion might aid in DIC control even in the presence of bleeding risk.

Decidual natural killer(dNK)cells are the most abundant immune cells in the decidua.The functional acquisition during dNK cell development depends on NK cell education,a process in which the highly polymorphic killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors(KIRs)and CD94/NKG2s expressed on dNK cells bind to major histocompatibility complex(MHC)class Ⅰmolecules expressed by extravillous trophoblast(EVT)cells.This interaction regulates the effector functions of NK cells.dNK cells participate in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by modulating immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface.Defects in dNK cell education leading to dNK dysfunction are potential pathological mechanisms underlying adverse pregnancy outcomes such as recurrent pregnancy loss(RPL).This review summarizes the characteristics of dNK cells,dNK cell education and its key associated molecules,and the pathological mechanisms by which poorly educated dNK cells contribute to RPL,aiming to offer insights for predicting and improving pregnancy outcomes in RPL patients associated with dNK cell abnormalities.